2017 North Shore DE/LB K'Lavon Chaisson has a final two of LSU and Texas, so I did some research to prepare for a segment about him in this week's Deep Dig solo podcast. Here are my written notes on Chaisson. The short (the TL; DR/DL version) is that Chaisson has fantastic attributes that could translate into elite functional traits at the college level as a pass-rusher and one-gap disruptor.
Chaisson has official visits set up for LSU on January 13th, UT on the 20th, Colorado on the 23rd and USC on the 27th. His current plan is to commit on National Signing Day, but he told one reporter at the Under Armour game that he may commit earlier.
I found the interview with Chaisson (above) very informative regarding the Texas coaching staff's message to him and also regarding the details of their relationship.
Chaisson says that while Herman's hiring did give Texas a boost, he's been looking at Texas most for academics, alumni, and he had a couple of guys from North Shore who went there who've told him all about it.
He says, that while being recruited by the current Texas staff at Houston, he "fell in love with the coaching," and "you just can't resist them guys, they cool." He said he'd be in the Tyus Bowser role, a stand-up defensive end. "Standing up and holding your ground, I'd be dropping back once in a while, but still, getting to the passer is my best ability."
Tyus Bowser was a "B-Backer" in Orlando's system, for the record - this means he'd play the same position at Texas that is currently projected to feature at least Breckyn Hager, Erick Fowler and Naashon Hughes (and likely others), so it's not a huge immediate need per se. However, you can never have enough gifted athletes with elite attributes and proven production in high school getting to the passer.
Here are the attributes in Chaisson I noted from re-watching the Championship game last season versus Westlake as well as his hudl reels:
- Explodes out of his stance like a sprinter with some twitch and power upfield
- Extremely impressive lower-half, is strong through the haunches and hips with being stiff at all
- Can bend, twist and contort; gets skinny through the gap and penetrate upfield - not a one-trick pony in his disruption, is a menace against the run and as a pass-rusher -- the kid is just a handful
- Went against Zabie from Westlake a bunch in the game with mixed results -- Zabie is a handful himself, very dominant and smothering at times -- also has above-average feet in pass-protection
(Stephan Zabie Westlake Highlights - very nice player)
- Chaisson was able to give Zabie all he could handle when lining up on his side -- multiple times causing either disruption or a sack coming inside to B-gap on him
- Zabie has been measured at a Nike camp at 6-5, so based on the general comparison of sizes, it's safe to say that Chaisson is 6-3 and not 6-4
- Very fast in backside and upfied pursuit to contain, sure to be a 4.5-ish type speed guy with development and refinement of his athleticism
- He's just as comfortable standing up off the edge and knifing in as he is with his hand in the dirt -- hard to tell which way you like to utilize him more; main attribute is disruption off the edge; you can tell the North Shore staff uses line shifts to get him one-gapping upfield from the B-gap.
- Will work his feet with a lot of patience to see about getting the tackle to show his ass then exploit the mistake - doesn't always bull-rush although he has the strength to
- Fast and sleek; ability to start and stop on a dime then re-direct reminds you of a running back seeing a lane and cutting -- not often you see the kid falling for juke moves or getting his feet tangled up; breaks down and keeps his eyes on the ball-carriers midsection and gets his head across and wraps up
- Very long arms, but they don't always take away his ability to press offensive linemen off, but they can against good ones
- Great motor in-play, generates a lot of production by not giving up on plays if initially getting a little bit beaten or out of position
Alex Dunlap's work on Orangebloods is sponsored by Wendy Swantkowski, DDS. The best in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial area. Find out why so many OB members are her patients by scheduling an appointment at 281-293-9140!
Chaisson has official visits set up for LSU on January 13th, UT on the 20th, Colorado on the 23rd and USC on the 27th. His current plan is to commit on National Signing Day, but he told one reporter at the Under Armour game that he may commit earlier.
I found the interview with Chaisson (above) very informative regarding the Texas coaching staff's message to him and also regarding the details of their relationship.
Chaisson says that while Herman's hiring did give Texas a boost, he's been looking at Texas most for academics, alumni, and he had a couple of guys from North Shore who went there who've told him all about it.
He says, that while being recruited by the current Texas staff at Houston, he "fell in love with the coaching," and "you just can't resist them guys, they cool." He said he'd be in the Tyus Bowser role, a stand-up defensive end. "Standing up and holding your ground, I'd be dropping back once in a while, but still, getting to the passer is my best ability."
Tyus Bowser was a "B-Backer" in Orlando's system, for the record - this means he'd play the same position at Texas that is currently projected to feature at least Breckyn Hager, Erick Fowler and Naashon Hughes (and likely others), so it's not a huge immediate need per se. However, you can never have enough gifted athletes with elite attributes and proven production in high school getting to the passer.
Here are the attributes in Chaisson I noted from re-watching the Championship game last season versus Westlake as well as his hudl reels:
- Explodes out of his stance like a sprinter with some twitch and power upfield
- Extremely impressive lower-half, is strong through the haunches and hips with being stiff at all
- Can bend, twist and contort; gets skinny through the gap and penetrate upfield - not a one-trick pony in his disruption, is a menace against the run and as a pass-rusher -- the kid is just a handful
- Went against Zabie from Westlake a bunch in the game with mixed results -- Zabie is a handful himself, very dominant and smothering at times -- also has above-average feet in pass-protection
(Stephan Zabie Westlake Highlights - very nice player)
- Chaisson was able to give Zabie all he could handle when lining up on his side -- multiple times causing either disruption or a sack coming inside to B-gap on him
- Zabie has been measured at a Nike camp at 6-5, so based on the general comparison of sizes, it's safe to say that Chaisson is 6-3 and not 6-4
- Very fast in backside and upfied pursuit to contain, sure to be a 4.5-ish type speed guy with development and refinement of his athleticism
- He's just as comfortable standing up off the edge and knifing in as he is with his hand in the dirt -- hard to tell which way you like to utilize him more; main attribute is disruption off the edge; you can tell the North Shore staff uses line shifts to get him one-gapping upfield from the B-gap.
- Will work his feet with a lot of patience to see about getting the tackle to show his ass then exploit the mistake - doesn't always bull-rush although he has the strength to
- Fast and sleek; ability to start and stop on a dime then re-direct reminds you of a running back seeing a lane and cutting -- not often you see the kid falling for juke moves or getting his feet tangled up; breaks down and keeps his eyes on the ball-carriers midsection and gets his head across and wraps up
- Very long arms, but they don't always take away his ability to press offensive linemen off, but they can against good ones
- Great motor in-play, generates a lot of production by not giving up on plays if initially getting a little bit beaten or out of position
Alex Dunlap's work on Orangebloods is sponsored by Wendy Swantkowski, DDS. The best in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial area. Find out why so many OB members are her patients by scheduling an appointment at 281-293-9140!
